Ampoules are frequently used in medicine and in science for the contamination free provision of precisely measured quantities of fluids. The fluids themselves have a variety of uses. The ampoules are generally opened by being broken at a circumferential groove etched in the surface of the glass or at a neck of reduced diameter. Since the ampoules are generally formed of glass, there is a danger that, if a safe breaking means is not available, the break will not be clean and that the user will be cut by a jagged edge. In addition, pieces of glass may fall into the fluid within the ampoule, thereby contaminating it, and occasionally, some of the fluid within the ampoule will splash onto the user during the opening process. In hospitals, the ampoules frequently are opened in stressful situations by snapping the top with the hands. Accidents such as those described above are common in such situations.
Many devices are currently available for assisting in the opening of ampoules, but most of them do not provide the user sufficient protection from the above hazards, and they normally are each suited for only a specific size and shape of ampoule. Some ampoule breaking devices must be hand held and do not collect the broken tips. Further, they often provide the user with no protection from splashed fluids or broken glass. Examples of ampoule breakers of this type are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,450,319; 2,503,517; 2,515,020; and 2,638,022. Other ampoule breakers are adapted for mounting on a wall, but still do not provide any means for collecting the broken ampoule tips. Such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,425,093 and 2,359,644. Still other ampoule breakers have means for collecting the broken tips of the ampoules, but are not suited for a wide range of ampoule sizes, and require means for scoring the ampoule to facilitate breaking thereof.. Examples of such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,692,220; 2,488,956 and 2,655,767.